


Soft and Warm in my Arms

by MetaphorCheese



Series: Learn Me [5]
Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Christmas, Chubby Aziraphale (Good Omens), Disabled Crowley (Good Omens), F/F, Female Aziraphale (Good Omens), Female Crowley (Good Omens), Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Soft Aziraphale (Good Omens), Soft Crowley (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24095704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MetaphorCheese/pseuds/MetaphorCheese
Summary: Somehow, the large, ivy-covered stone buildings that made up the campus only became more intimidating when the vast majority of the students left for the winter holiday. Where the campus was usually bustling with students and faculty, the constant murmur of conversation occasionally broken by shouting or singing or instruments being played with varying degrees of actual effort, it now was quiet, blanketed in white. It was stark, it was lonely, it was beautiful, it was sparkling, it was sad.At least, Aziraphale was sad.It's time to make some new holiday memories.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Learn Me [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706413
Comments: 3
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

Somehow, the large, ivy-covered stone buildings that made up the campus only became more intimidating when the vast majority of the students left for the winter holiday. Where the campus was usually bustling with students and faculty, the constant murmur of conversation occasionally broken by shouting or singing or instruments being played with varying degrees of actual effort, it now was quiet, blanketed in white. It was stark, it was lonely, it was beautiful, it was sparkling, it was sad. 

At least, Aziraphale was sad. She sat on her tiny bed, staring out at the blank square. Unlike the town she used to live, there were no lights up. No trees decorated. No music playing to cut through the chilled air. No family dinners where there was too much food and too much noise and too little communication. 

Aziraphale shivered as her phone buzzed with a text message. Admittedly, sitting in a towel in the middle of winter in a building that was only theoretically heated wasn't the brightest idea, but Aziraphale always felt so refreshed after a shower, and this one had felt especially nice because she knew no one would walk in on her. She pulled the towel closer around her and opened her messages. Her mood instantly brightened as she saw that it was an invitation to meet Crowley. 

She quickly wrung out her waist-length hair into her towel, letting the cold move her faster. She pulled on her underthings, a pair of thick tights that she fancied made her legs look just a tad longer, a skirt, and a warm sweater. She tucked her still-damp hair into the knit beanie she'd purchased from a campus fundraiser, layered her vest over her sweater (as she had not yet managed to purchase a coat), and reached for the door. 

On second thought, she grabbed a second sweater as well. Crowley was always so cold, after all, and she didn't seem to mind the size difference. Finally satisfied, Aziraphale slid her feet into her boots (borrowed from Crowley, whose parents seemed to forget that bad joints, heeled boots, and ice didn't mix very well, no matter how grippy the boots may be) and headed out into the silent campus.

The snow crunched under her feet as she made footprints in the otherwise unbroken blanket of white. The cold nipped at her nose and fingertips, but the sensation was not unpleasant. She lifted her gaze to the sky as she walked. The blue was swiftly being taken over by dark, heavy clouds. There would probably be another storm tonight, the snow hurrying to fill the tracks was making, to erase any sign she was there. 

Unwilling to think further along those lines for the moment, Aziraphale entered Crowley's building. The sound of her stomping the snow from her boots must have been louder than she'd thought, because she was nearly knocked over by the unexpected hug she received. 

"Goodness, Crowley," Aziraphale laughed, turning to properly face her. "Were you waiting by your door or something?" 

"Or something," Crowley answered coyly, grinning. "Just missed you is all."

"It's been all of maybe twelve hours, you impatient thing," Aziraphale teased. She was rewarded with a wrinkle of Crowley's nose as the redhead pulled her back into the safety of her room. 

The room was much the same as it always was, with one new addition. Crowley had carefully strung and pinned up a string of green twinkle lights into the shape of a pine tree on one wall. The sight made Aziraphale stop short, even as Crowley continued to move towards their usual spot on the bed. 

"Angel?" Crowley asked, raising an eyebrow. "Something wrong?" 

"You decorated," Aziraphale breathed, emotions she hadn't expected rushing through her head. She had thought that seeing decorations would alleviate the melancholy she felt, but the unexpected sight of the little string light tree only made it worse. 

"Well, yeah, a little," Crowley shrugged, leaning forward. Confusion was clear on her face. "Is that a bad thing? Christmas tree come to life and attack you?" 

"No, no," Aziraphale shook her head, trying to clear it. She sat down stiffly on the edge of Crowley's bed, so wrapped in her own thoughts that she barely noticed long limbs wrapping around her. "It's… I'm sorry, dear girl, I seem to be a bit in my own head today."

"Wanna let me in there? I bet there's lots of room to share in that clever head of yours," Crowley cooed, removing Aziraphale's hat. She combed her long fingers through the damp, tangled curls. "What's got you all rattled?" 

Aziraphale closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she released it, she lowered her head to look at the sweater she still held in her lap. "My reason for staying over the break was a bit misleading, I'm afraid. Mother is going on a cruise, but not until Boxing Day. The truth is… the truth is that I am not welcome back."

"You what?" Crowley asked, freezing in her movements. "What do you mean, not welcome back?" 

"Last Christmas was when my mother was convinced that it was high time I found a boyfriend. I had been going to an all-girls school, you see, and she had some concerns when I didn't trail after any of the boys at church. She… She decided that I must not be trying hard enough to appeal to the boys," Aziraphale laughed humorlessly, hands squeezing the sweater. "She had me have a couple blind dates, she put me on a diet, she made me keep my hair long… And when I told her I wasn't interested in men, she told me that she was done with me. That she'd ship me off to the first boarding school she could find. That… that she would pay my way, as long as I was away from her."

"Oh… oh, angel," Crowley whispered, pulling her closer. She took the sweater out of Aziraphale's white-knuckled grip before straddling her hips. She moved Aziraphale's trembling hands to rest on her waist before covering her mouth with her own. Aziraphale relaxed under the gentle pressure, though her breathing was shaky between the soft kisses. By the time Crowley pulled away, though, she had managed to avoid tears. 

"Angel, what if we make some new memories for you? It sounds like you didn't have a holly, jolly one last year," Crowley teased gently, stroking her cheek with a thumb. "And, on a more serious note, your mum sounds like a piece of work."

"She is, rather," Aziraphale admitted, "and that sounds lovely. Are you, perhaps, feeling up to a venture into the village?" 

"Sure, angel. Just let me get ready to go." Crowley gave her one last kiss before sliding off of her lap. She pulled on her knee and hip brace, along with one for her ankle, which had been especially sore that morning. Once those and her flat, fluffy snow boots were on, she stood. "Ready."

"Not quite," Aziraphale laughed softly. She pulled the sweater over Crowley's head, covering her in its soft warmth. 

"Thanks, angel," Crowley grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! 
> 
> I decided that I needed a little holiday hurt/comfort in my life, so here we go. I've got a general idea for where this mini-plot is going, but if there's something you'd like to see here, for Learn Me in general, or any other plot, please let me know!
> 
> Also, while I know asking for free art is not cool, I would love to see anything you guys make if you're at all interested in making art for my stories. I can see these stories so vividly, but I am not a good artist at all, so it would absolutely make my week if any of you are interested. 
> 
> Have a great day!


	2. Chapter 2

The village was every bit the winter wonderland that one could expect from an old, English village tucked away down the long, winding road from a boarding school. Despite the sun still being high in the sky somewhere behind the thick grey clouds, the windows of each little shop cast a warm yellow glow over the blanketing snow. Each old-fashioned Narnia-esque street lamp was wrapped with red and gold ribbon and topped with a bow. Music came pouring out of the shops, varying from canned classics to a few live quartets. 

Aziraphale felt the conflict slowly resolve itself within her. She couldn't possibly resent this charming display of holiday cheer, not with the lovely village in front of her and a gorgeous redhead to hold her hand. "Oh, Crowley… where would you like to go first?" 

"Somewhere with hot drinks," Crowley grumbled, pressing closer to her side. "Why's snow gotta be so damn cold?" 

"Well, darling, in order to crystallize, water must first freeze--" Aziraphale's teasing was swiftly cut off by a kiss. 

"Shut up, angel," Crowley murmured affectionately. She wrapped her arm around Aziraphale's shoulders and steered her towards a moderately large building on the corner of the snow-covered cobble road. 

The Witch's Brew was a family-owned café and gift shop, and was a very popular tourist location for the few that found themselves in the area. Half of the space was occupied by small tables and surprisingly comfortable wooden chairs, with an old-fashioned oil lamp in the center of each table. A bar was tucked against the right wall, and it was nearly always occupied by the older residents of the village regaling each other in tales of the past, be it childhood memories or complaining about the youth of today. The left half of the building was lined with bookshelves, though there were few shelves actually occupied with books. Instead, the shelves contained essential oils, scrying balls, ouija boards, crystals, and all manner of occult knickknacks and doodads that Aziraphale couldn't begin to name. The tables on this side of the room contained more conventional gift shop wares, such as stuffed animals, homemade sweets advertising the candy shop down the road, and throw blankets. 

The business had been passed down for many generations, but was currently run by a nice young woman and her new husband. Anathema Device (for she had refused to change her last name when she married Newton Pulsifer) was always busy running both parts of the business, but still managed to find time to talk to the guests about whatever she happened to have on her mind. 

"Welcome to The Witch's Brew! Did you know that this time of year used to be filled with pagan holidays involving nudity, gambling, and human sacrifices at Thor's Oak?" Anathema asked cheerfully, leading Aziraphale and Crowley to a small table near the bar. "Then the Christians got hold of it and took all the fun away."

"That's usually the way it goes," Crowley agreed, sinking into the chair with the faintest wince. Snow did a lot to level out the road, but the occasional patches of icy cobblestones seemed altogether too enthusiastic to try and make her slip. 

"While I acknowledge the ancient rituals, I am rather glad that human sacrifice fell out of favor," Aziraphale chuckled, twisting the small knob on the lamp to increase the size of the flame. 

"Suit yourself," Anathema shrugged, pulling out a small notepad. "What can I get you?" 

"One hot apple cider, and one hot chocolate with marshmallows," Crowley decided, winking at Aziraphale.

"Please," Aziraphale finished, shooting Crowley a look that very clearly huffed _Manners, really._ Anathema did not seem to mind, and dropped the order slip at the counter before retreating back into the crowded gift shop area. 

"So, what did you have in mind?" Aziraphale asked, leaning a bit closer to Crowley. She placed a warm hand on her knee, hoping to relieve some of the ache. "Or did you think we'd simply wander?" 

"I'm not sure," Crowley shrugged. "At some point we'll need to split up to get each other's presents."

"That's true," Aziraphale hummed, considering this dilemma. "Why don't we peruse the shops down the main road, and then we can part ways and meet back here?" 

"Sounds good to me," Crowley agreed, squeezing Aziraphale's hand on her knee. 

Once they received their drinks, paid, and chatted a bit longer with Anathema, they were ready to depart on their present-finding mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody!
> 
> Sorry for the short chapter this time, but I really wanted to get something up for this story before I go back to work. If you guys have any ideas for this particular fic, anything else in the Learn Me universe, or a one-shot of your choice, please let me know! 
> 
> Have a great day!


End file.
